Page 43 of Obsessed

I step hard onto deck. My eyes lock instantly with Maddox's questioning gaze. My heart sink likes a stone. What have Idone?

39

Angie

After my disastrousnegotiation session in the wheelhouse, I surrender to my will and sit down next to Maddox at the bow. With his hands cuffed behind his back, he has no choice except to sit awkwardly forward. I still manage to rest my head against his shoulder. I'm keenly aware of Kane watching every move through the window of the bridge, but I no longer care. Oscar has pulled a sun chair out on deck. He's stretched his long legs out and crossed his hands behind his head for anap.

I take a deep, steadying breath. After so many weeks in my underground bedroom, the sun and fresh air are intoxicating. The nectar is slowly leaving my bloodstream. More and more, rational thoughts storm through my head, but I would give anything to turn themoff.

"What the hell is he doing up there?" Maddoxgrumbles.

"Not too sure." I place my hand on his arm. His muscles are taut with tension. "Whatever happens, Maddox. I'm sorry I screwedup."

"No, Ten, I'm the one who screwed up. I just couldn't handle not knowing what had happened toyou."

I wrap my hand around him to hold his arm closer. "No, I mean I'm sorry that I wasn't a goodpartner."

He turns his face. "What are you talking about? You were the best fucking partner a guy couldhave."

I release him and look up at his face. We are sitting on a madman's yacht waiting for our fates to be handed out and all I can think is how breathtaking he is. My voice wavers now at the thought of us dying and me never being able to tell him how I really feel. "But you wanted a newpartner."

"Shit." He drops his face. His thick hair falls forward. "Shit." He lifts his face again. "You really don't know, do you? Everyone in the precinct knew. Even Clark. Shit, Clark before anyone else. He knew even before I figured itout."

"What? You've lostme."

"I'm in love with you, Ten. I've loved you for fucking ever, but I knew everything about us being together was wrong. And I figured you'd probably just laugh if you found out. It got so bad I thought, hey, I'll find someone else, fall in love and that will be that. But when I woke up every morning thinking about you, even with Tiffany right next to me, I knew that my stupid plan was just that—stupid. I thought if we weren't working together, I could just get you out of my head. Another useless plan that reallybackfired."

I'm blinking up at him as he speaks and wondering if I am still more drugged than I realized. But with each word, the true weight of it sinks in. I blink backtears.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I ask with a half sob, halflaugh.

"Isn't this a cute scene." Kane's voice falls over us. It's a sound I used to wait anxiously to hear but now it makes me tense withrage.

I glance around at the water. There is nothing but ocean and horizon, but it's easy to see that we are staying in one place. "Where are we?" Iask.

"The ocean," Kane answerssnidely.

Oscar walks up behind him, casting his big shadow over all of us. I don't notice he's holding a rope until he brings it out from behind hisback.

I sit quickly down on Maddox's lap. "Whatever you do to him, you do to metoo."

"How Romeo and Juliet of you, Sweet Sin." His nickname makes Maddox tense beneath me. Kane, who misses nothing, noticestoo.

"Do you like it?" Kane asks Maddox. "It comes from her sweet cinnamon coloring. See, while you sat in the same detective sedan with her, thinking about kissing her, touching her, fucking her, I was doing all that andmore."

Maddox's body grows hard like stone. The hot red blush of shame spreads over my entirebody.

"Oh, that's right, Maddox. You already had a little peek of what we were up to when I showed you the video." Kane motions for Oscar to comeforward.

"You fucker," I scream and jump at Kane. He easily pins my hands behind me. Tears cloud my eyes. I'm just as glad not to have to look at Maddox. I'm sick fromembarrassment.

Kane tries to whisper something in my ear but I elbow him hard. He keeps a firm grip on my wrists. How many times has he bound my wrists for pleasure and I yielded quickly, wanting it, enjoying it. But this time, my hands are bound with cruelty. I hate him forit.

Oscar kneels down to tie the rope around Maddox's feet. I know the second he crouches down that he's made a huge error. Maddox's knee comes up so hard, Oscar's nose sprays blood over the leather upholstery as he stumbles back. He lands with a solid thud ondeck.

Kane moves both of my wrists to one hand. I feel him move behind me and gasp when the cold metal barrel of a gun presses against my temple. "I suggest you let Oscar tie your feet or I pull thetrigger."

Maddox looks him in the eye. "Bullshit. You won't killher."

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